At the tender age of 14, Sidney Warren knew he wanted to run his
own small business someday. "I've always been a natural
salesman," says the now-33-year-old entrepreneur, who has
grown up to be a partner in two Cincinnati-based TCBY Treats/Mrs.
Fields Cookies co-branded franchises. Despite his upbeat attitude,
however, Warren maintains a certain pragmatism: "Coming from a
minority group, I just felt I wasn't going to be as financially
successful working in corporate America."
Enter entrepreneurship--not just for Warren but for a host of
like-minded women and minority twenty- and early-thirtysomethings.
Their mission? To do their own thing--first, last and foremost. But
given the fact that no business exists in a vacuum, it's clear
that Gen Xers like Warren must also contend with social forces
beyond their control. In theory, today's crop of women and
minority entrepreneurs are reaping the benefits of decades-long
battles for equal opportunities--the proverbial leveling of the
playing field. In reality, however, these Xers are in the curious
position of coming into their own at a time when equal-ity-driven
initiatives such as affirmative action are being criticized--and,
in some cases, struck down altogether. It makes you wonder: Just
what kind of playing field are Xers competing on, anyway?
"What you're seeing now is not just a repeal or
rollback of affirmative action," says Granville Sawyer Jr.,
who heads Norfolk State University's Department of
Entrepreneurial Studies in Virginia. "In my opinion, what
you're seeing is a change in the sentiment of society. People
are saying [to women and minorities] `That's all you're
going to get from us.' "
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This societal shift impacts young entrepreneurs. "It's
making it somewhat difficult," says Warren. "But I think
for true entrepreneurs, it won't stop them. It builds a level
of tenacity."
Partners Kirsten N. Poe and Reneé E. Warren (no relation to
Sidney) know a thing or two about tenacity. As co-founders of
Noelle-Elaine Media Consultants in New York City, Poe and Warren
jokingly say they've "been thrown out of the best
places" in an effort to build a stellar client roster that
includes Nelson Mandela and Colin Powell.
"Affirmative action was needed initially--and it's
needed now," says Reneé Warren. "Many people are
still denied opportunities."
But even as small-business success stories add up, there remains
the nagging perception of a playing field that's yet to level
out. "Is it impossible for these young entrepreneurs to
succeed? Absolutely not," says Sawyer. "But are they
required to do more and produce at a higher level? I believe the
answer is yes."
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